The NBA announced the AT&T $2M Shooutout, which offers
one winner a chance to receive a first-class trip to a '98
NBA Finals Game, where they will shoot for $2M. The selected
shooter will have five chances to make an NBA regulation
three-point shot: the first four shots will be worth
$250,000 each and the fifth shot will be worth $1M. If the
shooter misses all five, they still receive $25,000. AT&T
will also offer half-price rates through the NBA Playoffs on
calls made to states with teams in the post-season (NBA).
AD AGE's Jeff Jensen reports that the contest is open to
AT&T customers only, who can enter by calling 1-888-6FINALS.
AT&T will also give away 5,000 runner-up AT&T/NBA Finals
pre-paid calling cards. AT&T Dir of Sponsorship & Promos
Michael Murphy: "In the past, our sports marketing has been
about branding, business customer hospitality and
advertising. Now we're totally refocusing our sponsorships
to be about adding value to our customers" (AD AGE, 4/13).

FL-based Links Direct has signed Fuzzy Zoeller to be
the company's official spokesperson. Zoeller will wear the
Links Direct logo on his apparel, consult on company
products and work to develop and promote his own product
line. Links Direct is a golf and travel company that is a
subsidiary of Network Holdings International (Links Direct).
BRIGHT FUTURE NEEDS SHADES: David Duval, who's wearing
of Oakley sunglasses has become his trademark look, has a
"modest" endorsement deal with the company, according to
Oakley Dir of Sports Marketing Scott Bowers. Oakley also
has a deal with Mark O'Meara, who won The Masters on Sunday,
but O'Meara only wears Oakleys during practice. USA TODAY's
Bill Meyers reports that "about 20 established pros" on the
PGA Tour wear Oakleys, as do "half the up-and-coming players
on the Nike Tour" (USA TODAY, 4/15).
GOLF EXPOSURE: Dallas-based Cornerstone Sports logged
every second a player's sponsor appeared on TV during CBS's
coverage of the final round of the Nissan Open. Cornerstone
compared the air time of the logos on the clothing and
equipment of Billy Mayfair and Tiger Woods, who finished
first and second, respectively. Cornerstone figured Woods'
sponsors gained a total of 10:09 of air time, earning an
extra ad value of $1.4M. Mayfair's sponsor saw a total of
6:21 of exposure, for a total ad value of $854,000. A 30-
second spot during a network golf telecast costs
approximately $70,000 (SAN DIEGO UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/14).

Converse has "scrapped plans to launch a basketball
sneaker with the potentially controversial moniker 'Young
Guns' for urban teen males," according to USA TODAY's
Melanie Wells. An internal Converse memo obtained by USA
Today "spells out plans to launch" the shoe next year
"targeting urban teens who believe basketball is their 'best
shot to make it big.'" The Converse document notes: "In
keeping it real, however, it is important to remember that
many of these young guns will not become success stories,
but rather will be casualties of urban life." Converse
spokesperson Jennifer Murray said that Young Guns was the
"working name" for a project that was scrapped in late '97
after sales of basketball shoes dipped (USA TODAY, 4/15).

NHL: BRANDWEEK's Terry Lefton reports that Coca-Cola
"is hooking up with United Artists' 2,200 movie screens" for
a spring Stanley Cup-themed promo behind its Surge brand,
the drink's first national promotional platform. Peel-off
stickers on soda cups will back the "Cup-crazy" promo...
...MasterCard will make this year's version of its Stanley
Cup $1M shot easier. The shot, which will take place
between periods of a Fox-televised Stanley Cup game, has
been moved from center ice to near the blue line, while the
slot in the goal has been expanded from six to 15 inches in
length. A "view-and-win element" will allow a viewer to win
$1M if the shot is made (BRANDWEEK, 4/13 issue).
NOTES: PepsiCo announced that it will be the exclusive
beverage supplier at Club Disney, DisneyQuest and the ESPN
Zone restaurants. Terms were not disclosed. Coca-Cola will
still be the supplier at Disney's theme parks ("Business
Center," CNBC, 4/14)....Glendale Federal Bank has teamed
with the Padres to issue Padres Cash Cards, stored-value
cards that can buy food and merchandise at Qualcomm Stadium
and at the Padres Store in Encinitas, CA. The cards can
store up to $50 (UNION-TRIBUNE, 4/11)....Pocket Pump, the
maker of pocket-sized, hand-held air pumps, has received
orders from more than 1,000 retail stores and 5,000
individual customers since its 30-second spot aired during
Super Bowl XXXII. The company landed the spot by entering a
contest sponsored by Mail Boxes Etc. (S.D. UNION-TRIBUNE,
4/14)....In a TIME essay, Garry Trudeau writes of Nike's
influence within Hollywood and the entertainment industry
under the header, "Sneakers In Tinseltown: In Which The
Beloved Nike Lady Makes Her Hollywood Rounds" (TIME, 4/20).

News Corp. is creating a marketing and sales division
called News Corp. One to offer "major multinational
advertisers cross-media and promotional deals across the
company's array of newspapers, television networks and other
media divisions," according to Wayne Friedman of the
HOLLYWOOD REPORTER. The division will be headed by News
Corp. One Senior VP Kayne Lanahan, who will report to Fox TV
Exec VP & Fox Broadcasting President of Sales Jon Nesvig.
Nesvig said the division will "give advertisers a platform
they didn't have before. There seems to be much interest
from advertisers in this" (HOLLYWOOD REPORTER, 4/15). DAILY
VARIETY's Richard Morgan reports that the move puts News
Corp. "on the forefront of a trend by major advertisers
toward one-stop media shopping" (DAILY VARIETY, 4/15).

Spalding Sports agreed to a long-term global licensing
agreement to become the official supplier of the Corel WTA
Tour. The deal provides Spalding with exclusive rights to
utilize the tour logo on tennis products. As part of the
deal, Spalding will become a sponsor of the WTA Tour's
grassroots program, F.I.R.S.T. Serve. Spalding also signed
Rachel McQuillan, ranked #64 in the world, to play Spalding
racquets (Spalding). Spalding signed a licensing, marketing
& media partnership with the ATP Tour in June (THE DAILY).
THE SPALDING STORY: MA-based Winstanely Associates has
produced a pair of TV spots "that emphasize the link"
between Spalding's products and its NBA and ATP endorsement
deals, according to ADWEEK's David Gianatasio. Both spots
carry the tagline, "What Are You Playing?" One spot will
feature Spalding endorser Kobe Bryant, while another 30-
second spot, "Up Close," will introduce Spalding's ATP Tour
Racquet line. The tennis spots will run on ESPN and ESPN2
telecasts of men's tour events (ADWEEK, 4/13 issue).

The PBA plans to give away four 30-second TV ad slots
"worth about" $120,000 as part of an "aggressive campaign"
to attract advertisers to its TV package, according to Bill
Halls of the DETROIT NEWS. The "Submit Your Spot" campaign,
being handled by N.Y.-based Partners & Shevack, targets
automotive, gasoline/motor oil, telecom and life insurance
industries. One 30-second spot will be given away to each
of the targeted industries. Contestant entrants must answer
two simple questions about this Saturday's PBA Tour event
and submit entries along with TV spots. Four winners will
be selected by random drawing and their spots will air May
30, June 13, 20 and 27 during PBA telecasts on CBS. PBA
Commissioner Mark Gerberich: "There are so many new looks to
our show this year, and we want the advertisers to watch the
new Pro Bowlers Tour" (DETROIT NEWS, 4/14). The PBA will
unveil its new format changes on April 18, when Tour
coverage debuts on CBS (Richard Wilner, N.Y. POST, 4/13).